Bringing community together, every step of the way
Moving into long-term care doesn’t mean leaving your community behind.
Once again we saw that firsthand this September, when around 875 residents, families, team members, volunteers, students, community partners and special guests came together across peopleCare Communities for our annual Community Walk to Wellness and the provincial LTC Engagement Day.
Every peopleCare long-term care home took part, welcoming MPs, MPPs, mayors, councillors and other municipal representatives, along with local schools, service clubs, health care partners, businesses, volunteers and community organizations.
“I’d love people to understand just how much life there is in long-term care. People sometimes have an image in their minds that really doesn’t reflect what we see every day,” says Sheena Campbell, Vice President of Communications and Engagement at peopleCare. “These are communities. Residents have friendships, activities, celebrations and lots of new experiences, and families and community partners are a huge part of that.”
Across our homes during the Walk, there were plenty of examples of what that can look like.
At peopleCare Meaford LTC, more than 100 people joined residents, team members and families for a walk, including Mayor Ross Kentner, other community reps and familiar faces from Rotary, Christmas on the Bay, Parkinson’s, McDonald’s and even the Meaford Scarecrow Kazoo Band.
“Our friends and neighbours are such a big part of life here. Over the years, we’ve built some wonderful relationships with local organizations, volunteers and community partners, and they really do become part of our peopleCare family,” says Wendi Cochrane, Program Manager at peopleCare Meaford LTC. “Seeing so many of them come out to enjoy a walk to the beautiful waterfront alongside our residents was pretty special.”
At our newest long-term care home in Tillsonburg, it’s very first Walk was a chance to start building some of those relationships. Mayor Deb Gilvesy, local firefighters, community partners and dozens of students from Annandale Public School joined residents, families and team members.
“We’re still a very new community, so it was incredible to see so many people come out for our very first Walk. Having more than 50 students join us was a highlight, and knowing some already want to come back to volunteer is even better,” says Deb Edwards, Program Manager at peopleCare Tillsonburg LTC. “There was lots of connecting, laughing, enjoying the fresh air and most importantly, community coming together. These are exactly the kinds of connections we want to keep building.”
The Community Walk to Wellness has been a peopleCare tradition for several years, bringing residents, families, team members and others together to get outside, get moving and enjoy the day. Three years ago, peopleCare began holding the Walk alongside the Ontario Long Term Care Association’s LTC Community Engagement Day, which encourages homes across the province to open their doors and engage with the elected officials, neighbours and other organizations around them.
It’s proven to be a great fit.
“There’s something very different about talking about LTC in an office versus actually coming into a home, sitting down with residents, talking with families and meeting the people who provide the care,” says Sheena. “You get a much better sense of what LTC contributes to a community and why it matters.”
The day also gave elected officials an opportunity to hear directly from residents and family care partners. Many peopleCare homes presented OLTCA Community Engagement certificates recognizing the contributions residents and family care partners make to their homes and communities.
From walking together and sharing stories to meeting someone new, reconnecting with an old friend or simply enjoying a beautiful morning outside, this year’s Walk was another reminder that the front doors of a long-term care home work both ways.
Learn more
Visit us on Facebook for more Walk to Wellness/LTC Engagement Day highlights, including videos from:
Delhi LTC: https://www.facebook.com/reel/2592729207829357
ARG LTC: https://www.facebook.com/reel/2565597097293067
